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Gracious my lord, hard by here is a hovel;
Some friendship will it lend you'gainst the tempest;
Repose you there! while I to this hard house,
(More hard, than is the stone whereof 'tis rais'd;
Which even but now, demanding after you,
Denied me to come in,) return, and force
Their scanted courtesy!

Lear. My wits begin to turn. —

Come on, my boy! How dost, my boy? Art cold?
I am cold myself.— Where is this straw, my fellow?
The art of our necessities is strange,
That can make vile things precious. Come, your hovel!
in heart
Poor fool and knave, I have one part
my
That's sorry yet for thee.

Fool. He that has a little tiny wit,—

With heigh, ho, the wind and the rain,
Must make content with his fortunes fit;
For the rain it raineth every day.
Lear. True, my good boy!- Come, bring us to
[Exeunt Lear and Kent.
this hovel!
Fool. This is a brave night to cool a courtezan.
I'll speak a prophecy ere I go :

When priests are more in word than matter;
When brewers mar their malt with water;
When nobles are their tailors' tutors;
No heretics burn'd, but wenches' suitors:
When every case in law is right;

No squire in debt, nor no poor knight;
When slanders do not live in tongues;
Nor cutpurses come not to throngs;
When usurers tell their gold i'the field;

And bawds and whores do churches build; -
Then shall the realm of Albion

Come to great confusion.

Then comes the time, who lives to see't,

That going shall be us'd with feet.

[Storm still.

The tyranny of the open night's too rongh
For nature to endure.

Lear. Let me alone!

Kent. Good my lord, enter here!
Lear. Wilt break my heart?

Kent. I'd rather break mine own. Good my lord,
enter!

Lear. Thou think'st 'tis much, that this conten-
tious storm

Invades us to the skin: so 'tis to thee;
But where the greater malady is fix'd,
The lesser is scarce felt. Thou'dst shun a bear:
But if thy flight lay toward the raging sea,
Thou'dst meet the bear i'the mouth. When the mind's
free,

The body's delicate: the tempest in my mind
Doth from my senses take all feeling else,
Save what beats there.-Filial ingratitude!
Is it not as this month should tear this hand,
For lifting food to't? But I will punish home:-
No, I will weep no more!-In such a night
To shut me out! - Pour on! I will endure!
In such a night as this! O Regan, Goneril!
Your old kind father, whose frank heart gave all-
O, that way madness lies; let me shun that;
No more of that,

Kent. Good my lord, enter here!
Lear. Pr'ythee, go in thyself! seek thine own ease!
This tempest will not give me leave to ponder
But I'll go in:
On things would hurt me more.
In, boy! go first! - [To the Fool.] You houseless
poverty,
Nay, get thee in! I'll pray! and then I'll sleep.
[Fool goes

Poor naked wretches, wheresoe'er you are,
That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm,
How shall your houseless heads, and unfed sides,
Your loop'd and window'd raggedness, defend you

This prophecy Merlin shall make; for I live before From seasons such as these? O, I have ta'en his time.

[Exit. Too little care of this! Take physic, pomp!
Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel!
That thou may'st shake the superflux to them,
And show the heavens more just.
Edg. [Within.] Fathom and half, fathom and half

SCENE III. A room in GLOSTER's castle.
Enter GLOSTER and ED mund.

Glo. Alack, alack, Edmund! I like not this unnatural dealing. When I desired their leave that I might pity him, they took from me the use of mine own house; charged me, on pain of their perpetual displeasure, neither to speak of him, entreat for him, nor any way sustain him.

Edm. Most savage and unnatural!

Poor Tom! [The Fool runs out from the hovel.
Fool. Come not in here, nuncle, here's a spirit!
Help me, help me!

Kent. Give me thy hand! - Who's there?
Fool. A spirit, a spirit! he says his name's poor Tom!
Kent. What art thou that dost grumble there i'the

straw? Come forth!

Glo. Go to say you nothing! There is division between the dukes; and a worse matter than that: I have received a letter this night; -'tis dangerous Enter EDGAR, disguised as a madman. to be spoken; I have locked the letter in my clo- Edg. Away! the foul fiend follows me!set: these injuries the king now bears will be revenged Through the sharp hawthorn blows the cold wind!home: there is part of a power already footed: Humph! go to thy cold bed, and warm thee! daughters? we must incline to the king. I will seek him, and Lear. Hast thou given all to thy two Tom? whom privily relieve him: go you, and maintain talk with And art thou come to this? the duke, that my charity be not of him perceived. Edg. Who gives any thing to poor If he ask for me, I am ill, and gone to bed. If I die the foul fiend hath led through fire and through for it, as no less is threatened me, the king my old flame, through ford and whirlpool, master must be relieved. There is some strange thing quagmire; that hath laid knives under his pillow, [Exit. and halters in his pew; set ratsbane by his porridge; made him proud of heart, to ride on a bay trotting horse over four-inched bridges, to course his ow

toward, Edmund; pray you, be careful!

Edm. This courtesy, forbid thee, shall the duke
Instantly know; and of that letter too.

This seems a fair deserving, and must draw me
That which my father loses; no less than all:

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a-cold. O, do de, do de, do de! - Bless thee from The younger rises, when the old doth fall. [Exit. whirlwinds, star-blasting, and taking! Do pour

some charity, whom the foul fiend vexes! There

SCENE IV. —A part of the heath, with a hovel. could I have him now,

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Kent. Here is the place, my lord! good my lord, Lear. What, have his daughters brought him to

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Could'st thou save nothing? Did'st thou give them all? that in the fury of his heart, when the foul fiend Fool. Nay, he reserved a blanket, else we had been rages, eats cow-dung for sallets; swallows the old all shamed.

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Fool. This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen.

Edg. Take heed o'the foul fiend! Obey thy parents! keep thy word justly! swear not! commit not with man's sworn spouse! set not thy sweet heart on proud array! Tom's a-cold.

Lear. What hast thou been?

Edg. A serving-man, proud in heart and mind; that curled my hair; wore gloves in my cap, served the lust of my mistress's heart, and did the act of darkness with her; swore as many oaths as I spake words, and broke them in the sweet face of heaven one that slept in the contriving of lust, and waked to do it. Wine loved I deeply; dice dearly; and in woman, out-paramoured the Turk. False of heart, light of ear, bloody of hand; hog in sloth, fox in stealth, wolf in greediness, dog in madness, lion in prey. Let not the creaking of shoes, nor the rustling of silks, betray thy poor heart to women! Keep thy foot out of brothels, thy hand out of plackets, thy pen from lenders' books, and defy the foul fiend! - Still through the hawthorn blows the cold wind. Says suum mun, ha no nonny, dolphin my boy, my boy, sessa! let him trot by!

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rat, and the ditch dog; drinks the green mantle of
the standing pool; who is whipped from tything to
tything, and stocked, punished, and imprisoned;
who hath had three suits to his back, six shirts to
his body, horse to ride, and weapon to wear,

But mice, and rats, and such small deer,
Have been Tom's food for seven long year.
Beware my follower: peace, Smolkin! peace,
thou fiend!

Glo. What, hath your grace no better company?
Edg. The prince of darkness is a gentleman;
Modo he's called, and Mahu.

Glo. Our flesh and blood, my lord, is grown so vile,
That it doth hate what gets it.
Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold.

Glo. Go in with me! my duty cannot suffer
To obey in all your daughters hard commands;
Though their injunction be to bar my doors,
And let this tyrannous night take hold upon you;
Yet have I ventur❜d to come seek you out,
And bring you where both fire and food is ready.
Lear. First let me talk with this philosopher :-
What is the cause of thunder?
Kent. Good my lord, take his offer;
Go into the house!

ban:

-

Lear. I'll talk a word with this same learned TheWhat is your study? Edg. How to prevent the fiend, and to kill vermin. Lear. Let me ask you one word in private. Kent. Impórtune him once more to go, my lord, His wits begin to unsettle. Glo. Can'st thou blame him? His daughters seek his death. —A, that good Kent! He said it would be thus. - Poor banish'd man!Thou say'st the king grows mad; I'll tell thee, friend, [Storm still continues. I am almost mad myself: I had a son, Lear. Why, thou were better in thy grave, than Now outlaw'd from my blood; he sought my life, to answer with thy uncovered body this extremity But lately, very late; I lov'd him, friend, of the skies. Is man no more, than this? Consider No father his son dearer: true to tell thee, him well! Thou owest the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the cat no perfume! Ha! here's three of us are sophisticated! - Thou art the thing itself: unaccommodated man is no more, but such a poor, bare, forked animal as thon art.-Off, off, you lendings! Come; unbutton here![Tearing off his clothes. Fool. Pr'ythee, nuncle, be contented! this is a naughty night to swim in! - Now a little fire in a wild field were like an old lecher's heart; a small spark, all the rest of his body cold. Look, here comes a walking fire!

Edg. This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet: he begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock; he gives the web and the pin, squints the eye, and makes the hare-lip; mildews the white wheat, and hurts the poor creature of earth.

Saint Withold footed thrice the wold;
He met the night-mare, and her nine-fold;
Bid her alight,

And her troth plight,

And aroint thee, witch, aroint thee!

Kent. How fares your grace?

Enter GLOSTER, with a torch.

Lear. What's he?

Kent. Who's there? What is't you seek?
Glo. What are you there? Your names?
Edg. Poor Tom; that eats the swimming frog, the
toad, the tadpole, the wall-newt, and the water;

I

[Storm continues.
The grief hath craz'd my wits. What a night's this!
do beseech your grace,
Lear. O, cry you mercy,
Noble philosopher, your company!
Edg. Tom's a-cold.

Glo. In, fellow, there, to the hovel! keep thee warm!
Lear. Come, let's in all!
Kent. This way, my lord!
Lear. With him!

I will keep still with my philosopher.
Kent. Good my lord, sooth him! let him take the
fellow!

Glo. Take him you on!

Kent. Sirrah, come on! go along with us!
Lear. Come, good Athenian!
Glo. No words, no words!
Hush!

Edg. Child Rowland to the dark tower came,
His word was still, - Fie, foh, and fum,
I smell the blood of a British man.
[Exeunt.
SCENE V.-A room in GLOSTER'S castle.
Enter CORNWALL and EDMUND.
Corn. I will have my revenge, ere I depart his house.
Edm. How, my lord, I may be censured, that
nature thus gives way to loyalty, something fears
me to think of.

Corn. I now perceive, it was not altogether your brother's evil disposition made him seek his death;

but a provoking merit, set a-work by a reproveable badness in himself.

Edm. How malicious is my fortune, that I must repent to be just! This is the letter he spoke of, which approves him an intelligent party to the advantages of France. O heavens! that this treason were not, or not I the detector!

Corn. Go with me to the dutchess!

Edm. If the matter of this paper be certain, you have mighty business in hand.

Corn. True, or false, it hath made thee earl of Gloster. Seck out where thy father is, that he may be ready for our apprehension.

Edm. Aside.] If I find him comforting the king, it will stuff his suspicion more fully.-I will persevere in my course of loyalty, though the conflict be sore between that and my blood. Corn. I will lay trust upon thee; and thou shalt find a dearer father in my love.

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[Exeunt.

4 chamber in a farm-house, ad-
joining the castle.

Enter GLOSTER, LEAK, KENT, Fool, and EDgar.
Glo. Here is better than the open air; take it
thankfully: I will piece out the comfort with what
addition I can: I will not be long from you.
Kent. All the power of his wits has given way to
his impatience. The gods reward your
kindness!
[Exit Gloster.

Lear. Arraign her first; 'tis Goneril. I here take my oath before this honourable assembly, she kicked the poor king her father.

Fool. Come hither, mistress! Is your name Goneril? Lear. She cannot deny it.

Fool. Cry you mercy, I took you for a joint-stool, Lear. And here's another, whose warp'd looks proclaim

What store her heart is made of. Stop her there! Arms arms, sword, fire! - Corruption in the plax! False justicer, why hast thou let her 'scape? Edg. Bless thy five wits!

Kent. O pity!— Sir, where is the patience now,
That you so oft have boasted to retain?
Edg. My tears begin to take his part so much,
[Aside.
They'll mar my counterfeiting.
Lear. The little dogs and all,
Tray, Blanch, and Sweet-heart, see, they bark at me!
Edg. Tom will throw his head at them:-
Avaunt, you curs!

Be thy mouth or black or white,
Tooth that poisons, if it bite;
Mastiff, grey-hound, mongrel grim,
Hound, or spaniel, brach, or lym;
Or bobtail tike, or trundle-tail;
Tom will make them weep and wail:
For, with throwing thus my head,
Dogs leap the hatch, and all are fled.

Edg. Frateretto calls me; and tells me, Nero is an Do de, de de, Sessa! Come, march to wakes and angler in the lake of darkness. Pray, innocent, and fairs, and market-towns. Poor Tom, thy horn is dry!

beware the foul fiend.

Fool. Pr'ythee, nuncle, tell me, whether a madman be a gentleman, or a yeoman? Lear. A king, a king!

Fool. No; he's a yeoman, that has a gentleman to his son: for he's a mad yeoman, that sees his son

gentleman before him.

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Lear. To have a thousand with red burning spits Come hizzing in upon them:

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Edg. The foul fiend haunts poor Tom in the voice of a nightingale. Hopdance cries in Tom's belly for two white herrings. Croak not, black angel! I have

no food for thee!

Kent. How do you, sir? Stand you not so amaz'd: Will you lie down and rest upon the cushions?

Lear. Then let them anatomize Regan, see what breeds about her heart. Is there any cause in nature, that makes these hard hearts? You, sir, I entertain you for one of my hundred; only, I do not like the fashion of your garments: you will say, they are Persian attire; but let them be changed. (To Edgar

Kent.Now, good my lord, lie here, and rest ashur Lear. Make no noise, make no noise! draw the cur tains! So, so so. We'll go to supper i'the morning So, so, so.

Fool. And I'll go to bed at noon.
Re-enter GLOSTFR.

Glo. Come hither, friend! Where is the king
Kent. Here, sir! but trouble him not, his wits are

master?

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Both welcome and protection. Take up thy master:
With thine, and all that offer to defend him,
Stand in assured loss. Take up, take up!
And follow me, that will to some provision
Give thee quick conduct.

Kent. Oppress'd nature sleeps:

Lear. I'll see their trial first. Bring in the evi-This rest might yet have balm'd thy broken senses.

dence!

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Reg. Hang him instantly!
Gon. Pluck out his eyes!

Corn. Leave him to my displeasure! - Edmund, keep you our sister company;

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Reg. Wherefore to Dover?

Glo. Because I would not see thy cruel nails Pluck out his poor old eyes; nor thy fierce sister the revenges we In his anointed flesh stick boarish fangs. are bound to take upon your traitorous father, are The sea, with such a storm, as his bare head not fit for your beholding. Advise the duke, where In hell-black night endur'd, would have buoy'd up, you are going, to a most festinate preparation; we And quench'd the stelled fires: yet, poor old heart, are bound to the like. Our posts shall be swift, and He holp the heavens to rain.

intelligent betwixt us. Farewell, dear sister! -Fare- If wolves had at thy gate howl'd that stern time, well, my lord of Gloster!

Enter Steward.

How now? Where's the king?

Stew. My lord of Gloster hath convey'd him hence:
Some five or six and thirty of his knights,
Hot questrists after him, met him at gate;
Who, with some other of the lord's dependants,
Are gone with him towards Dover; where they
boast

To have well-armd friends.

Corn. Get horses for your mistress.
Gon. Farewell, sweet lord, and sister!

[Exeunt Goneril and Edmund. Corn. Edmund, farewell!- Go, seek the traitor Gloster,

Pinion him like a thief, bring him before us!

Thou should'st have said, Good porter, turn the key!
All cruels else subscrib'd:- but I shall see
The winged vengeance overtake such children.
Corn. See it shalt thou never:·

chair!

fellows, hold the

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I have serv'd you ever since I was a child;
But better service have I never done you,
hold.
you

Than now to bid
[Exeunt other Servants.

Though well we may not pass upon his life
Without the form of justice; yet our power
Shall do a courtesy to our wrath, which men
May blame, but not controul.- Who's there? The
traitor?

Re-enter Servants, with GLOSter.
Reg. Ingrateful fox! 'tis he.

Corn. Bind fast his corky arms.

Glo. What mean your graces? - Good my friends,

consider

You are my guests: do me no foul play, friends!
Corn. Bind him, I say! [Servants bind him.
Reg. Hard, hard!-0 filthy traitor!
Glo. Unmerciful lady as you are, I am none.
Corn. To this chair bind him!— Villain, thou shalt
find-
[Regan plucks his beard.
Glo. By the kind gods, 'tis most ignobly done
To pluck me by the beard.

Reg. So white, and such a traitor!
Glo. Naughty lady,

These hairs, which thou dost ravish from my chin,
Will quicken, and accuse thee: I am your host;
With robbers' hands, my hospitable favours
You should not ruffle thus. What will you do?
Corn. Come, sir, what letters had you late from
France?

Reg. Be simple-answer'd, for we know the truth.

Reg. How now, you dog?

Serv. If you did wear a beard upon your chin, I'd shake it on this quarrel. What do mean? you Corn. My villain! [Draws, and runs at him. Serv. Nay, then come on, and take the chance of anger!

[Draws. They fight. Cornwall is wounded. Reg. Give me thy sword. [To another Servant.] A peasant stand up thus!

[Snatches a sword, comes behind, and stabs him. Serv. O, I am slain !- My lord, you have one eye left

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Glo. All dark and comfortless.. Where's my son
Edmund?

Edmund, enkindle all the sparks of nature,
To quit this horrid act.

Reg. Ont, treacherous villain!

Thou call'st on him that hates thee: it was he
That made the overture of thy treasons to us;
Who is too good to pity thee.
Glo. O my follies!
Then Edgar was abus'd. -

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SCENE I.- The heath.

Enter EDGAR.

Edg. Yet better thus, and known to be contemn'd, Than still contemn'd and flatter'd. To be worst, The lowest, and most dejected thing of fortune, Stands still in esperance, lives not in fear : The lamentable change is from the best; The worst returns to laughter. Welcome then, Thou unsubstantial air, that I embrace! The wretch, that thou hast blown unto the worst, Owes nothing to thy blasts.-But who comes here? Enter GLOSTER, led by an Old Man. My father, poorly led?- World, world, O world! But that thy strange mutations make us hate thee, Life would not yield to age!

Old Man. O my good lord, I have been your tenant, and your father's tenant, these fourscore years. Glo. Away, get thee away! good friend, be gone! Thy comforts can do me no good at all, Thee they may hurt.

Old Man. Alack, sir, you cannot see your way. Glo. I have no way, and therefore want no eyes; I stumbled when I saw: full oft 'tis seen, Our mean secures us; and our mere defects Prove our commodities.-Ah, dear son Edgar, The food of thy abused father's wrath! Might I but live to see thee in my touch, I'd say, I had eyes again!

Old Man. How now? Who's there?

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Edg. How should this be?—
Bad is the trade must play the fool to sorrow,
Ang'ring itself and others.[Aside.] Bless thee, master!
Glo. Is that the naked fellow?
Old Man. Ay, my lord!

Glo. Then, pr'y thee, get thee gone! If, for my sake,
Thou wilt o'ertake us, hence a mile or twain,
I'the way to Dover, do it for ancient love;
And bring some covering for this naked soul,
Whom I'll entreat to lead me.

Old Man. Alack, sir, he's mad!

Glo. 'Tis the times' plague, when madmen lead the
blind.

Do as I hid thee, or rather do thy pleasure;
Above the rest, be gone.

Old Man. I'll bring him the best 'parel that I have,
Come on't what will!

Glo. Sirrah, naked fellow!

Exit.

Edg. Poor Tom's a-cold. I cannot daub it farther.

Glo. Come hither, fellow!
Edg. [Aside.] And yet I must.
eyes, they bleed.

[Aside.

Bless thy sweet

Glo. Know'st thou the way to Dover? Edg. Both stile and gate, horse-way, and foot-path. Poor Tom hath been scared out of his good wits. Bless the good man from the foul fiend! Five fiends have been in poor Tom at once; of lust, as Obidicut; Hobbididance, prince of dumbness; Mahu, of stealing; Modo, of murder: and Flibbertigibbet, of mopping and mowing; who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-women. So, bless thee, master! Glo. Here, take this purse, thou whom the heaven's plagues

Have humbled to all strokes: that I am wretched,
Makes thee the happier. - Heavens, deal so still!
Let the superfluous, and lust-dieted man,
That slaves your ordinance, that will not see
Because he doth not feel, feel your power quickly;
So distribution should undo excess,
And each man have enough.-Dost thou know Dover?
Edg. Ay, master!

Glo. There is a cliff, whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully in the confined deep:
Bring me but to the very brim of it,
And I'll repair the misery thou dost bear.
With something rich about me: from that place
I shall no leading need.

Edg. Give me thy arm, Poor Tom shell lead thee!

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-Before the Duke of ALBANY's palace. Enter GONERIL and EDMUND; Steward meeting them. Gon. Welcome, my lord! I marvel, our mild has band

rmaster?

Edg. [Aside.] O gods! Who is't can say, I am at Not met us on the way. Now, where's your m

the worst!

I am worse than e'er I was.

Old Man. 'Tis poor mad Tom.

Stew. Madam, within; but never man so chang'd: I told him of the army that was landed; He smil'd at it: I told him, you were coming;

Edg. [Aside.] And worse I may be yet. The worst His answer was: The worse; of Gloster's treachery

is not,

So long as we can say, This is the worst.

Old Man. Fellow, where goest?

Glo. Is it a beggar-man?

Old Man. Madman and beggar too.

Glo. He has some reason, else he could not beg.
I'the last night's storm I such a fellow saw;
Which made me think a man a worm: my son
Came then into my mind: and yet my mind
Was then scarce friends with him: I have heard more

since:

As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods; They kill us for their sport.

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